5,200-Year-Old Canoes Unearthed in Lake Mendota Reveal Ancient Wisconsin Waterways

Scientists at the USDA Forest Products Lab and Wisconsin archaeologists have identified 16 ancient dugout canoes in Lake Mendota, some dating back as much as 5,200 years. They’re learning about wood choices (elm dominates, with cottonwood and red oak anomalies) and techniques that may have included intentional tyloses formation to make canoes watertight. Two vessels will be freeze-dried for a 2027 Wisconsin History Center exhibit, while many others are too fragile to move. The finds suggest a broader Indigenous canoe network around the region, with Wingra Lake likely to yield more discoveries, and tribal partners emphasizing the cultural story the canoes tell.